Equinix: Equinix Plans 30MW+ Data Facility in Slough, UK

Equinix plans to construct a new 30MW+ data center in Slough Trading Estate, Berkshire, just outside of London.

Late last year, as initially reported by the Royal Borough Observer, the corporation submitted a planning application for LD14. The Slough planning commission voted unanimously in favor of the proposal. The landowner, Segro, plans to demolish the single-story structure known as Units 9-13 on Banbury Avenue, which currently occupies just under one hectare. Filings indicate that the company intends to construct a five-story, 162,535-square-foot building with two data halls per floor. The facility will include 13 emergency diesel generators with a combined output of 2.8 MW, as well as an on-site substation.

The LD7-1 building of Equinix is also located on Banbury Avenue. A second building, LD7-2, is being constructed adjacent to Units 9-13. Slough is also home to the company's LD4, 5, 6, 10, 11x, and 13x data centers. Slough is a significant data center hub, and Segro's trading estate is home to a multitude of operators. Virtus, Kao, Cyxtera, CyrusOne, and Iron Mountain also exist in the region, and KKR's GTR and Yondr are also expanding in the region. The former Akzo Nobel paint factory and R&D facility on Wexham Road will presumably become a data center in the near future.

Established firms, including Vantage, Colt, Global Switch, and CoreScale, are working on expansions in and around London, while NTT and Telehouse introduced new facilities last year. Other developers propose facilities in Docklands, Havering, Loughton, and Belvedere, all in London.